Today at 5 p.m., Fox posted on Hulu the pilots for two of the best new sitcoms of the fall -- "The Mindy Project" and "Ben and Kate."

Both sitcoms are set to premiere on September 25, but you can watch them now if you're eager. I like both of them but "Ben and Kate" is my favorite. It's about a grown-up brother and sister duo (plus Kate's little girl) just figuring out their lives (Nat Faxon, who plays Ben, is hilarious with Maggie Jones, the young actress from "We Bought a Zoo," who plays Kate's little girl). In "The Mindy Project," Mindy Kaling (Kelly from "The Office") plays a single obstetrician looking for love.

I'll have more on both shows closer to their debut dates, but they're worth checking out (click titles above) if you don't want to wait for September 25.

Peter Rojas of gdgt brings up one of the best points I've seen this week. Where is the offline caching for popular video services?

Rojas compares Hulu and Netflix to music streaming services like Spotifiy and Rhapsody which offer offline caching that allow wireless subscribers to manage their data usage. Users can download a collection of songs over Wi-Fi before heading out the door.

Why shouldn't free services like YouTube and Vimeo offer offline viewing within their mobile apps where they can still deliver their advertising services?

If you haven't seen it already, I have a piece in today's Connect section on different ways to watch TV without cable or satellite. I compare the pros and cons of options like Netflix and Hulu and iTunes and Amazon Instant, but the list isn't intended to be all inclusive. There are probably dozens of ways to pull this off (feel free to discuss in the comments). I just picked out some of the most popular sources and focused on how you might watch cable shows (like "Breaking Bad" or "Mad Men" or "White Collar") if you don't have cable or satellite. I'm aware there are some free options out there that aren't exactly legal. And I'm aware that you can just plug in your TV and watch and record over-the-air broadcast shows without anything special.

Er, except maybe a better TV antenna. 

Speaking of antennas, there are lots of them out there and apparently you can even build your own. But if you're interested in the Mohu Leaf antenna I mentioned, you can check out the Raleigh company's website or contact them online or by phone (919) 896-7696.

Online video site Hulu formally launched its premium streaming service Wednesday and cut the price to $8 a month.

Sources say Hulu is close to introducing its paid content plan along with support for various consumer devices. 

Hulu always seemed too good to be true. Free streaming episodes of excellent television shows from past and present with entirely reasonable commercial interruptions.

Well, the free ride is likely over.

Hulu will reportedly begin charging $9.95 per month for the service as soon as next month, but there's speculation that the charges won't apply to recent episodes. So if you missed last week's "30 Rock," you can still watch for free. But if you want to watch an episode from last year, or if you want to watch a season of "Arrested Development," you'll have to pay. 

Details aren't firm right now, but brace yourselves...

If you're a proud "early adapter" and lucky enough to get yourself an iPad today, the first thing you'll probably want to do is watch some TV on it. (Right?)

Here are your options.

ABC has already released a video player for the iPad. The app is free but the streaming full episodes are advertiser-supported. You just need a WiFi connection. You can also watch Disney shows with the Disney app, and sports content with the ESPN app (although the ESPN app so far isn't getting great reviews). ABC and ESPN are owned by Disney.

The days of free Hulu may be numbered. Are people willing to pay? What terms are content providers willing to agree to?

Earlier this year, Hulu indicated its intention to shift toward a paid model for its video content. How Hulu could make that transition successfully remains to be seen. Here is a short take on Hulu's situation.

Comedy Central is taking its Daily Show & Colbert Report toys and going home.